Mass Effect: A Single Moment
by Damon Black
Summary: A series of one-shot stories involving Shepard and one of his/her romances. A different Shepard and a different romance character in every chapter. Set post ME2 and pre ME3.
1. Miranda

A/N: This is a series of one-shots set post-ME2 but before ME3. Just some fluff with Shepard and one of his romances. Each chapter will have a different male Shepard (i.e. different backgrounds and paragon/renegade attitude). Not sure if I'll do a female Shepard's with male romances, but well see how this goes.

Disclaimer: Mass Effect owned by BioWare & EA (Electronic Arts) International

**Mass Effect: A Single Moment**

**Miranda**

It was quiet. He had turned off the music a while ago, knowing it wouldn't wake his guest. He remembered a time when he enjoyed the quiet. Now it was just a warning, the calm before the storm, to coin an old saw. They were coming, thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions perhaps? Who truly knew?

It took hundreds of ships, and thousands of lives, to bring down one Reaper. To take on a fleet seemed impossible. Thankfully 'impossible' was a word that had lost its meaning to him over the past few years. It was impossible to stop Saren, impossible to come back from the dead, and impossible to reach the Collector's base of operations.

But now came the waiting, the insufferable feeling of sitting around in a state-of-the-art starship crewed by the best, brightest, and deadliest in the known galaxy and not having a damn thing to do.

Shepard analyzed the readout on his rifle. The mass field generators were properly aligned, the scope perfectly tuned to his eye, and the targeting computer calibrated to fire every shot with brain vaporizing accuracy. Everything checked out. Just like the last time he checked it. And the time before that.

With a deep inhale, Shepard rubbed his face, trying to keep lethargy at bay. Even with the routine duties and maintenance required to keep _Normandy_ at peak operational efficiency, it seemed like there was little to do. Plus the past month filled with almost non stop action and drama made the little things seem dreary.

"EDI." Shepard said. "Can you bring up the information we retrieved about the Reapers?"

"Of course, Shepard." EDE replied in her electronic tone. "Retrieving now."

The screen on his computer flashed with raw data on the Reapers taken from the Collectors' base. Much of it still needed to be organized and much of the science was over his head. In fact, some of the technology was previously considered to be highly theoretical by many council species. Other aspects of the Reaper's internal workings were never even imagined.

Of course, very little of what he saw made any sense to him, but he felt that if he stared at it long enough, something would make sense, hopefully.

A yawn came from his bed followed by rustling sheets. "What time is it?"

"1700 hours." Shepard said without taking his eyes off his computer. Another thing that came to his mind was the conversation he planned to have with his partner, one that might not become pleasant. "You missed lunch by the way."

"That's alright." She said. The sleep made her voice fuzzy. "I was planning on something special tonight. Candle light dinner with some asari cuisine. Got it special order after we hit Illium when you dealt with the Shadow Broker."

"I never pegged you as eating alien food" Shepard said with a grin. "I always pictured you eating caviar and sipping _Dom Pérignon_."

"Just because I once worked to establish humanity as the dominant galactic superpower doesn't mean I thought humanity did everything right. Learn and adapt, as they say."

Shepard shook his head and closed the window on his screen, getting ready for the big moment. "Well, I look forward to it." He turned his chair around. Miranda hugged her knees to her chest with a dazzling smile. Her dark hair spilled over to one side, frayed from an active night.

"Still looking over the schematics we found?" Miranda yawned and cracked her back. "You've been glaring at them for over a week." She stood on the bed, wrapping the sheets around her, creating a flowing dress that trailed behind her as she set a bare foot on the cold floor. "I think you're getting a little obsessed."

Shepard chuckled. "You're calling me obsessed with my work?"

"I may take my duties with the up most seriousness, Shepard, but even I and the Illusive Man know that a man or woman has to unwind every now and then." The dark haired woman walked up to Shepard's desk and pushed a few stray locks aside. "We all have our vices. And I think it's time I showed you one of mine."

She bent down and typed in a few commands into Shepard's console. The sheets slipped, revealing some of her alabaster skin and a good portion of her side bust. Shepard enjoyed the view, but with Miranda, he never knew what was an accidental slip and what was made to look like an accident. A video popped up that only took the Specter an instant to recognize as the events of last night.

"I love watching your cute butt move." She said with a sly grin. "Just as much as you love watching mine."

"I thought I asked you to take out all the cameras." Shepard groaned.

"I did…well most of them anyway." Miranda replied. "But I'm a professional, Shepard, and I like to study my work to see where…improvements can be made."

Shepard let out an amused huff. "Have you found any?"

"A few here and there. For instance." She draped her arms over him. Her soft hair brushed against his face. "In a few minutes you're going to try that move where you pick me up and stand on the bed." She laid a hand on top his head and played with his hair. "Notice that you don't give a girl a heads up when you do such radical maneuvers."

"I'll be more thoughtful next time." Shepard watched the video before cocking an eyebrow. "Just how much footage do you have of us?"

"Of us?" Her smile could have melted steel. "Enough." She yawned and stretched, keeping the blanket around her like a toga cloth. "I'm going back to my quarters and get ready for tonight. I also bought a new dress I think you might like." She bent down and picked up her Cerberus uniform. "And you might want to see if there are any contraceptives left in storage, hate for you to make an emergency run to the cargo hold with your-."

It was time to speak. "I know you can't have children."

She stopped, dead silent. Her uniform slumped back to the floor. The fish tank cast an aqua glow on her, turning her into a dark haired phantom.

"How?" She asked without turning her head. "Who told you?"

"The Shadow Broker, the yahg, he kept dossiers on us. All of us on the Normandy."

"So you did some digging on your girlfriend?" Miranda asked, her voice a fine cold edge. "Looking for any old flames? I have a diary if you want to take a look at that?"

"I'm sorry for looking, but I wanted to see what he had on us. If there was anything he found that could hurt you." Shepard pushed himself out of his chair and gently made his way to Miranda. "I already told Liara to stop all monitoring and data collecting on you."

She sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. "No. I'm the one that should be sorry. I…I've been doing the same thing with you even before the Lazarus Project. I read up on everything about you, military files, family background, back to when your parents first met. Even managed to find some old photos of you. You were such a cute little…" Miranda could not finish. Her body trembled.

"Hey." Shepard said gently and placed his hands on her shoulders. "That doesn't mean we can't adopt, although I prefer to wait a bit before we take the plunge."

Her chuckle was choked and she shook her head. "Do you know of the extranet site _IwantShepard'_?"

"No, but I can take a guess about what it's about." Shepard replied. "Something to do with fish?"

Again she shook her head, this time rolling her eyes. "It's a site filled with human fan girls, asari in their matron stage, and strangely enough a female quarian and a female krogan. At last count, their membership just past the ten thousand mark."

"Really? Shepard said, taken aback. "And you just happen to know this information off the top of your head?"

"Most of the asari believe that your genes would make their daughters as great as you." Miranda faced the fish tank. "They clamor on about having children like it's a right, not a privilege."

"Look at me." Shepard brought his hand to her cheek, lightly touching her with his finger tips, and turned her head. Her eyes shined with a watery glisten. "I don't care what some women blathering on the extranet. I care about what you think."

With an embarrassed snort, she returned to the fish tank. "How you can say those sappy things with a straight face always astonishes me." She wiped her eyes with an index finger. "But, what about what you want, Shepard? Do you want to be with a woman who can't give you children?"

Shepard brought his arms around her, bringing her into his warmth. "I want the woman I love."

Another laugh came. "Shepard, always saying the right thing." She took his head with her hands and brought his lips to hers. Shepard felt her tongue slip in, moving in a passive manner. When she broke off the embrace, she leaned in further, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Thank you, Shepard." She whispered into his ear.

With a smile, the first human Specter put his arms around her waist. "Anything for my girl. We just have to have hope."

"Hope." Miranda repeated. Her voice was not as lively as before.

* * *

The door slid open, and the lights automatically clicked on when she stepped into her quarters. Miranda ran a hand through her hair again. A nervous habit she had did her best to hide, but after a while with Shepard, she had feared that some cracks had formed on her professionally built shell. She may not be with Cerberus anymore, but that did not mean she would let herself grow soft.

She sat at her desk and activated her console. The device instantly dialed into the Normandy's communications array, linked up with the closet comm buoy, and covertly transmitted to a pre-assigned audio-only network used by one of her contacts. She rapped her fingers on her desk as she waited for the other person to login.

"Hello?" The crackling voice came from the speakers. A human doctor she had hired. "Ms. Lawson?"

"Yes. It's me. It's time for your weekly progress report. Did you analyze the specimens?" Miranda asked. She knew that her twin sister was a more…advanced version than her, but she did not know if her father corrected the problem Miranda had.

"I did. I detect no flaws, genetic or otherwise, in her reproductive abilities. She should be able to conceive and give birth without difficulty."

She nodded, keeping her smile from showing. Even if he could not see her, she was on the job, she was the ice queen. "Good. When she has her next check up, obtain fresh samples from her doctor and run the tests again, just to be sure."

"Understood." The man replied. "Now about the second project, I was able to successfully manipulate your egg cells genetic structure and cloned more. They're stable and fertile. However, I've been unable to find a way for them to survive in your womb due to your benign neoplasm."

"It doesn't matter. Recent events have made me retune my plan." Miranda pulled up a file filled with medical histories. "I've decided to go with my second option of using a surrogate mother. I'm sending you files of some promising candidates. I want your input on them; see if any are more compatible than the others."

"I'll start tomorrow, first thing." The man said. "Anything else?"

"Just one more item I want to discuss." Miranda replied. "You ever surf the net, just for fun?"

"Uh…I check the net for zero-gee football scores from time to time." The man's nervous tone was painfully obvious. "Why? Got your own fantasy football team?" He forced a laugh.

"No, but I did stumble upon a quaint little site called _IwantShepard'_. Every heard of it?" Miranda did not wait for the man to answer. "Even more astonishing, there's someone who posted a forum saying that he has Shepard's sperm for sale. What do you think of that?"

"I can explain." The man blurted out. "I was able to produce more than enough for what you wanted and there is a market for…I was going to cut you in on…"

"Save it." Miranda let her voice grow cold. "I gave you that sample in the strictest confidence that you would use it solely for the project, not put it up on the intergalactic market for fan girls and asari with ticking biological clocks. Now cancel any orders, retract your statement, and take down that damned forum or I'll stop the payments on your gambling debts on Omega. Is…that…understood?"

"Y-yes, Ms. Lawson." The man replied softly.

"Good. I'll contact you again in a week." She closed the link and leaned back in her chair. She was used to going behind people's backs. A basic necessity in her former job, but this little operation of hers always made her feel…uneasy.

"Hope." She whispered to the ceiling. "I'm sorry, Shepard, but hope is for those that don't have the power to take control themselves." She closed her eyes and smiled. "Hope. It's not bad for a name though. If it's a girl."


	2. Jack

A/N: This is a series of one-shots set post-ME2 but before ME3. Just some fluff with Shepard and one of his/her romances. Each chapter will have a different Shepard (i.e. different backgrounds and paragon/renegade attitude). I will do female Shepard's with male romances. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Mass Effect owned by BioWare & EA (Electronic Arts) International

**Mass Effect: A Single Moment**

**Jack**

Shepard walked briskly out of the elevator, took a right, aiming himself for the conference room. He heard Kelly remind him about his meeting. Hard to forget when everything on the ship reminds him with flashing messages and alarms. He stepped into the room. The table immediately slid into the floor and the lights went dark. He stood on the table and let the sensors scan his body. The projects hummed to life and suddenly he was in the office of the Illusive Man.

Was it an office? Shepard never really got the vibe that the place could be described with such a mundane word. He thought of it more like a lair or war room or whatever the place the movie villains used when planning galactic domination.

The Illusive Man, drenched in shadows, sat behind the burning sapphire ball, a star perhaps, shifting between a lit cigarette and his drink. The only other light that came from his person, besides his cigarette, was the unnerving blue augmented eyes. Shepard hated his eyes, he felt like they could pierce into his very soul

"Shepard," he said after exhaling a stream of smoke. "I heard about the unfortunate business at the Bahak System."

"A solar system was annihilated." Shepard crossed his arms. "If that's what you consider 'unfortunate', I'd hate to see what you'd consider 'ultimate fuck-up'"

"And I pray we never do." The Illusive Man tapped his cigarette over the ashtray built into his chair. "Still, you did the right thing. You've bought humanity and the entire galaxy precious time that we can use to counter the Reaper threat."

"Assuming they do anything productive with it." Shepard grumbled. "I've seen the news. The Citadel's dragging their feet because the other races are pissing an' moaning about not being in charge anymore."

"Every race looks after their own, Shepard. Self-preservation. It's universal nature." With another puff, he continued. "Although I disapprove of the Alliance going after your head because of the matter."

"Yeah, well, nuke a solar system and suddenly you're the bad guy." Shepard said with grand flare. "It's a topsy-turvy universe."

"Don't worry, I've already have…projects underway to alleviate the problem." He downed the last of his drink. "In the meantime there's something else I want to talk to you about. One of your teammates, Subject Zero, she's been accessing some very confidential, very _damaging_ information about certain individuals affiliated with Cerberus."

"I'm sure the information she has is past its expiration date." Shepard scratched his nose. "Miranda informed me that she's been keeping tabs on Jack's extra-net surfing."

"That doesn't negate the fact that she is still harboring a grudge against us. She is still a threat and I take threats from super biotics very seriously. Especially if they're trying to compromise my star agent."

Shepard pushed aside the surprise of the 'star agent' bit and went right for the meat of the subject. "Compromise? What the fuck are you talking about?"

"I know you've been exploring those tattoos of her. I'm not one to judge on philandering, but don't let a woman derail you from your duty, Shepard." The Illusive Man almost spat. "Especially one as damaged as her."

"It's so easy for you to sit in your little throne and judge." Shepard shook his head. "But you're not on the front lines like I am, wading through the mud and blood and shit like I have to. Like my team has too. Nothing is every as cut and dry as you want it to be. And Jack's 'damage' gives her an edge in surviving in it."

"That still does not giver her an excuse to hunt down members of Cerberus. Take care of this problem, Shepard. Or I will."

Shepard did not say anything for a moment. He leveled his eyes and tapped his bicep with a finger. Finally, he spoke. "First of all, Jack is _my_ responsibility, not yours. And second of all, ease off the threats, unless you want me to go back to trashing Cerberus stations."

The Illusive Man almost shot back, but he did not. Instead he heaved a sigh and slunk back into his chair. "Let's not have our emotions get the better of ourselves, not with the stakes set as high as they are. I just want you to know that if Jack goes down this path of petty vengeance, there will be consequences."

"I'll make sure she gets the message." Shepard grumbled and walked out.

* * *

Jack let the liquid from her drink slosh around in her mouth. The sting from the alcohol mellowed and faded, replaced by a tart flavor that changed to tangy and then sweet. Finally, a drink that she did not have to guzzle down to avoid the taste. She had to hand it to Kasumi, she knew some interesting cocktails. She swallowed and raised her glass to her lips for another swig.

She had hoped to catch Shepard, have him try out Kasumi's 'super secret special sauce'. But when she heard about the Illusive Man's sudden call for a meeting with the first human Specter, she had a feeling that her man might have to stick around for another extra-long lip-flapping B.S. powwows that the Cerberus leader was known for. So she decided to make herself comfortable in his quarters and wait. After a half a minute of watching Shepard's fish collection swim dumbly around she noticed that the pleasant effects of drunkenness had somehow crept up on her, another interesting effect of the drink.

The door popped open.

"Jack?" Shepard said with actual surprise, although it was most likely due to her being stark-ass naked on his couch. "What're you doing here?"

"I'm here to tell you about the word of the Enkindlers and how they've opened my eyes." Jack said with great sarcasm. "I'm drunk. I'm naked. Why the fuck do you think I'm here for?"

Shepard chuckled and continued into his room. "That's cute. I'm just shocked that you've finally gotten out of your little hideout in the bowels of the ship. You've locked yourself down there for days going over data files."

"Had to figure some shit out." Jack tipped her glass to her lips. "I asked that asari girl you used to hang around with to hook me up with some information. Guess I should have been more specific because she gave me a fucking library. Took longer than I thought to get what I wanted out of all the useless shit."

"What type of information?" Shepard asked like a cop grilling a suspect.

She let his tone slid. "History, dates, places, shit like that. Nothin' you'd find interesting."

"The Illusive Man disagrees." Shepard pressed a button to feed his fish. "In fact he and I had the most wonderful and pleasant conversation about it. And he made it clear that he would take action if you kept at it."

"Really?" Jack snorted in amusement. "That pussy-ass motherfucker can try." She chuckled before letting her face relax. "What did you say about it?"

"I told him that if he does, I can start blowing Cerberus shit up again like the good old days."

"My man." She raised a glass in salute before taking another drink. "Well tell the man behind the curtain not to get his panties in a wad. Whatever beef I had with Cerberus I left behind at the Pragia facility. I'm done with that shit."

Shepard nodded, impressed. She knew he was going to ask her further, but he wasn't. Not right now at least.

"By the way, did you get that gift I got for you?" He asked.

Jack gave a wary look. He was talking about his stupid gag gift. "Yeah, the shampoo. The one to give hair its 'extra bounce'." She ran her head over her shaven head. "How thoughtful. But it might come in handy. Thinking about letting it grow out. Maybe get a Mohawk or something."

Shepard leaned against the wall across the room with folded arms. Shepard wasn't like previous guys she hooked up with. Once the clothes came off, they went right for the down and dirty like a blue-balled varren. But not Shepard, oh no. He liked toying with her, making her work for it. She had to admit it was frustrating and perplexing, but made it oh so more satisfying when she got what she wanted.

"I see you have some new ink."

"Yeah." Jack said after taking another swig. "Made it myself." She touched the new tattoo on her inner wrist, the N7 emblem. "Told ya I like to get a little something to remember shit. Plus it gave me something to do when I needed a break from playing detective."

"You tattooed yourself?"

"A little trick I picked up during my stay at Purgatory." Jack returned her attention the screen. "That and how to kill someone with a credit chit."

"What?" Shepard asked, finally picking up on the subtle hostility that she was channeling at him since he entered the room. "What is it?"

"Your clothes." She nodded at him. "Lose 'em." She noticed his raise eyebrow. "I'm naked. So you have to be naked too. End of discussion." She tipped her glass to her mouth. "Unless you want me to tear them off with me teeth?"

"I don't think Kasumi would like that, since she gave me these clothes." Shepard said while unbuttoning his shirt. "So, you gonna tell me who you're looking for or…?" He let the statement hang in the air.

"I found her." Jack said softly while staring blankly into the fish tank. "I found my mom."

Shepard did not say anything for a moment. "Oh? Where is she?"

"Some backwater planet in the Traverse. Works as a prospector for the Alliance." Jack stared off into space as she recited the information she branded into her memory. "Found out that my father split when I 'died' so she had to fend for herself. Did a couple of bum jobs before she landed a gig with the Alliance. Never remarried and had the occasional boyfriend."

"Sounds like both of you have had hard lives." Shepard replied. "Something you two could chat about."

Jack tried to laugh, but whatever came out sounded more dead than lively. "What the fuck am I gonna say? 'Hi, mom, it's me, your daughter that you thought had croaked several years ago and instead I was snatched away, tortured, broken down, and turned into a living biotic weapon. How are you doing? Oh, by the way, are you a cop, because I have a record as long as the Citadel'?" Jack drank some more. "Hell, what's she gonna say when she _sees_ me?"

"You could tell her that you're dating Shepard, the first human Spectre. You know, balance things out."

"Fuck you." Jack could not contain her smile. "It's just…I don't know if I wanna see her. I was a little brat when they took me away. I don't remember shit about her or about anything before Pargia. It'd be like trying to have a family reunion with some stranger off the fucking street."

"You looked for her." Shepard said softly. "It's obvious you want to see her."

Jack did not say anything. She felt the sting of the tears building up behind her eyes. She did not blink for fear of unleashing the waterworks, but her refrain from blinking only made her eyes more watery. "Shit." She whispered. "I thought I was over this."

Shepard wordlessly sat beside her, wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and brought her closer to him. He did not say anything as she bit back the tears. A futile effort.

"Better?" He asked after she stopped trembling.

"Yeah." She sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Yeah."

"Good." He massaged her arm with his hand.

Another moment lapsed into silence except for the hum of the ship. She kept her eyes down trying to come to a decision. Before Shepard it had been so easy. If it meant survival, learn it, use it. If it wasn't, fuck it. After Shepard…well suddenly her easy and simple way of approaching things got turned upside down. Maybe it made her life more bearable, but it also made things complex. She hated him because of it. She loved him because he took away the old ways.

She frowned when she noticed that he was still wearing his trousers. If you want something done right…

She swept out from his hold and knelt down in front of him, unbuckling his pants.

"Aggressive, aren't we?" Shepard smirked.

"Like you said, I've been holed up for a few days." Jack said like he should know. "I need to blow off some steam here."

Shepard chuckled. "Well, 'blow' away."

Cocky bastard. No matter, she knew of some biotic maneuvers in bed that would have him calling her 'mama' in no time. Jack made a mental note to check the _Normandy's_ flight schedule and see if she could do a quick detour. Grab some supplies. Get in touch with some old contacts. Maybe…see family.

_Family_. She thought. _There's a term that I'm going to have to get used to saying._


	3. Thane

A/N: This is a series of one-shots set post-ME2 but before ME3 and the ME2 add-on The Arrival. Just some fluff with Shepard and one of his/her romances. Each chapter will have a different Shepard (i.e. different backgrounds and paragon/renegade attitude). I will do female Shepard's with male romances. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Mass Effect owned by BioWare & EA (Electronic Arts) International

**Mass Effect: A Single Moment**

**Thane**

The Normandy had been in FTL for nearly three days, which meant he was stuck on the Normandy. Thane was normally a patient man thanks to his training and his faith, but now he found himself…anxious as of late. He had a schedule to keep, people to met, and…obstacles to over come. He had started pacing down the halls, unable to shake this feeling of getting up and moving, even when he had nowhere to go on the ship.

The trials of an assassin were not new to him, nothing to really upset his center. He was a weapon, an instrument, carrying out the will of another, his soul disconnected from his body as it took the lives of those he was told to take. But now…now he was killing for another cause, not for himself, but for another.

"Thane!" Shepard called out.

The commander bounded up to him in her crisp Alliance uniform. While she may have had dealings with Cerberus to fuel her endeavor, events at the Collector base had put a wedge between her and the so-called Illusive Man. No love lost apparently.

"Hello, siha." Thane answered. "Is there something you need?"

"Actually, there is. We're stopping by the Arcturus station next week." Normally her smile was infectious, but at the moment it just made his attempt at keeping a content face even more difficult. "They want me there for the Skyllian Blitz Memorial."

"Yes, when you helped fended off the pirate invasion." Thane finished for her. "Very impressive, thirty-two confirmed kills. All one shots. I don't believe anyone else in the Alliance military has accomplished such a feat."

She arched her eye brow and placed her hands on her hips. Her look when she was both amused and impressed with him. A look he got often.

"At any rate, aside from the speeches and the ceremonies, there's someone I want you to meet." She pushed a lock of her deep red hair. "My mother will be there. The _SSV Orizaba _and the rest of fifth fleet are resupplying at the station before a tour in the Exodus Cluster."

"Your mother?" Thane said, dumbstruck.

"Yes, I've spoken to her about you, about us." She cast her eyes down for a moment. "She's…very interested in talking to you."

Thane found himself speechless.

"In a good way." She almost squawked. "She's happy for me to find someone. Been on me since she found out I was alive again. 'When are you going to get married?' 'When are you going to have kids?' Over and over and…" She shook her head, what she did when she realized she was rambling and tried to get back to her point. He didn't mind it; it was one of her quirks.

"I'm sorry, siha, but I'm afraid I have something to take care of." Thane said.

"Oh." Her enjoyment drained away. "I understand."

To confuse a drell with a human was impossible even at first glance. But sometimes…just sometimes…when Shepard looked at him that special way, when she laughed at the right moment, or even just stood in front of him…sometimes he would see his dead wife, Irikah. And right now, he saw his wife in the kitchen, upset about him slinking away, both knowing and not knowing about what he was going to do. He always left without a word, an emptiness that hung in the air and grew in his soul. Not this time.

"But I wouldn't mind seeing her later. Perhaps at dinner? Away from the crowds and the noise."

"Ah. Good." The life came back to her face.

This is how it starts. Secrets and lie. Kissing your beloved before scurrying off into the dark to slit throats and poison meals. This is what happened before, when he damn near lost everything. And by the grace of the gods or sheer dumb luck, he was given a second chance, a new reason to live, only for him to fall back into the lifestyle.

"Well, Miranda wanted to go over some logistics of the Normandy with me. The Alliance has some ideas on how to make this girl even better." She threw her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his cheek. "I'll see you tonight."

The ache started up again. Not his usual pains from Kepral's Syndrome, this one felt like serpents coiling around his heart, squeezing the life out of it. But this…had to be done. Shepard was not just morally strong as his first wife, but she had the strength of a warrior. Shepard was a war hero and fought against the powerhouses of the galaxy, even helped topple the Shadow Broker. He saw her break through a legion of Collector troops, take down mercenary camps, and even killed a Thresher Maw on foot, something that he would have considered insane, all done with the power of her biotics. He had fancied himself a man of the galaxy, but he rarely encountered human biotics wield power as awesome as hers.

But she was not used to fighting against the real horrors, against the viruses that hid in the corners of rooms, like mold in a dank room, spreading and waiting for a brief moment of weakness before they placed a blade in your back and scurry away. Or worse, go after your loved ones.

Thane made the mistake of thinking he was untouchable. A mistake he would never repeat again.

* * *

Arcturus station. A human military installation. A large human military installation. It may have been the crown jewel of the Alliance military, but something that can house thousands of people always has nooks and crannies that escape the station's security's watchful eye. Places where the mold can grow at home. He wanted to get a feel for the land, give these areas a closer inspection. Unfortunately time was not a luxury he could afford. The memorial was already underway, though he was not concerned about something happening there. Security would be at its peak plus the others would be with Shepard; Samara, Miranda, and such. She would be in good hands.

Instead he decided to follow up on a lead. Apparently an asari crime circle did not like Shepard's involvement at Illium. They put a hit out, though finding someone willing to kill a Spectre often proved difficult. However, there was always the brave and the stupid who would step up. Thankfully he knew how to handle both.

Thane kept to the shadows. A drell walking around in a human military installation would prove too…conspicuous.

He found his mark in one of the cargo holds, rooms the size of the Normandy filled with Mako sized containers. The mark was a dock worker with dirty blonde hair. He recognized the face from the information he received from his contacts. His mind flashed back to the day he received the information, sitting in the ship's life support control room. Jason Manning. Thirty-two years of age, worked in the Alliance for a decade including cook, custodian, and had a stint helping tear apart decommissioned ships for parts. He never stayed on a job for more than eighteen months and his file had its fair share of complaints from his supervisors, most commonly drinking on the job. But most recently, 50 thousand credits had popped into his bank account from a source that he could not trace.

A tale tell sign of payment from a less than reputable source.

He waited for Jason to be alone. It didn't take long for the man to duck out to quench his thirst. He snuck into an empty cargo container and pulled a flask from his orange work coveralls.

Thane dropped from the rafters and rushed the man while he was guzzling down whatever he had in his flask. He slammed into the man, pushing him further into the container so no one could hear them.

"Hey…who the fuck are-" The man gulped when Thane put the barrel of his gun next to his temple. "Wh-what do you want?"

"Names." Thane spoke calmly. "Who hired you?"

"Hired? What the hell are you talking abo-"

Thane clacked the man's head with the grip of his pistol. "Piece of advice. Playing dumb only makes the interrogator angry. Now back to the topic at hand. Who. Do. You. Work. For?"

Thane was not used to feeling emotion during his hits. His body was an instrument for his clients, his soul safely tucked away, detached from the brutality of his career. The first time he let his soul be within his body, when he let his emotions come into play, was during the turbulent time when he dealt with his late wife's killers. And when he decided to started taking…preemptive measures, he found himself becoming very…upset with the people trying to end Shepard's career.

"I ain't telling you shit, lizard man." The man growled, a glob on blood oozing down the size of his face.

"Well see."

Thane brought his knee into the man's groin. With a pained grunt, Jason doubled over. Grabbing his head, Thane smashed it on the side of the metal wall. Blood dripped from the wall, a superficial wound, more painful than anything. Thane made sure to keep the man's brains undamaged. The drell seized Jason by the throat and lifted him up, his feet barely touching the floor.

"Let's try that again." Thane said. "Who do you work for?"

"I…I don't have a name." The man sputtered, his left eye clenched shut. "I got a message on my extra-net account. Said that if I'd forget to log a container that came in last week, I'd be compensated."

_He's not the assassin._ Thane thought. _But the container. Explosives most likely._

"What was in the container?" Thane inquired.

"I don't know. It wasn't anything dangerous, it passed through the security checks I ran on it, I just didn't look inside."

"I can count of over fifty ways of fooling security check scans and that's off the top of my head." Thane tried to keep his composure. "You could have allowed explosives on board. Or worse." Thane let his statement sink in before he continued. "Now give me the information that was sent to you or I promise that you won't spend the rest of your life in the brig for treason due to a bullet."

"O…ok, just chill, alright? I got the info right…"

The man reached for his omni-tool…only for his brains to end up on the wall. He didn't pull the trigger. He did not even hear the shot. A sniper. Thane dropped the body and hid behind a metal box. He cursed his own stupidity. By choosing a container to use for his interrogation, he had an excellent place for privacy, but the single door also made it a kill zone, only one way in or out and now he was trapped. He could not chance a look to find his assailant, but there were containers stacked upon others, creating mini-skyscrapers. Plus the sniper could have a personal cloaking device.

His riffled through his memory and tried to think of a way to come out of the situation alive. He had a few thoughts, although a few he wrote off. He was not sure if any of the containers had hazardous material nor was he sure that firing off biotics would betray his position.

He had a smoke grenade on him. His own special blend. A Kahje-based ink mixed with potassium chlorate and a few other bits. All he needed was a moment and he could tip the balance back in his favor. He slipped his hand into his coat…

Something cracked the tense silence, a yell, frantic and frightened. He braved a peak over the box. Someone was suspended in the air, someone in dark unmarked armor with a rifle, an old Volkov sniper rifle. Rosenkov Materials, a human made weapon. The dark aura of a mass effect field surrounded the sniper, suspending him helplessly in the air. A bolt of dark blue arched from behind the containers and struck the sniper, sending careening like a ball hit by a bat. With a cry, the sniper sailed overhead and crashed somewhere, no doubt dead.

"So you ditched me to go play with the new kids?"

A woman he knew all too well strode up to him with her deep blue armor. Flanking her was the blaring red Samara and Miranda with her black and white Cerberus outfit.

"Shepard?" Thane's jaw dropped. "Wh…what are you doing…? Aren't you supposed to be at the memorial?"

"Ducked out early." She smiled as the black and blue biotic energy crackled around her. "Thought I'd see what you were up to."

"Siha, we need to get you somewhere safe. There's-" Thane regained his wits.

"Don't worry, security found out about it a long time ago." Miranda said in her haughty tone.

"Liara gave me a call when she found a little something floating around her information pile." Shepard said. "Sneak an assassin in to the complex through the container, take me down, and sneak back out. Station security was going to apprehend the guy, although when he didn't show up, security got worried. Must have caught on and abandoned his plans."

"It appears that he came back to kill his accomplice to cover his tracks." Samara said, her voice flat yet brimming with her passion of law and order burbling underneath.

"I…" Thane stammered before feeling the guilt come back to hit him like a runaway dreadnought. "I'm sorry, siha."

"I thought you were going to stop." Shepard's smile fell, as did Thane's heart. "You said you found a new way in life."

"I have. And that is why I went back." Thane confessed. "So I won't lose it again."

Shepard pursed her lips. "I know you want to protect me, Thane, but…I don't want you to spend what precious little time you have chasing shadows."

"The shadows aren't the problem, siha. It's what's lurking in them." Thane replied. "You stand above the wicked with your blinding light and there will always be those who wish to bring you down. You gave my life purpose again, a reason beyond death. But you still have your own destiny to fulfill and I do not someone to snuff out your light."

"Before I accomplish it?" Shepard asked.

"No. Before your time comes and Kalahira calls you to her embrace."

"The Goddess of Oceans and Afterlife." Shepard said, knowing full well about drell religion, thanks to his tutelage.

"I do want to spend my remaining days with you, siha." Thane replied. "In fact," Thane didn't want to give away his plans until after the Reaper business, assuming their was an 'after', but since he was put on the spot. "I was hoping that'd you and I would-"

"Visit your old home in Kahje?" Shepard finished.

"Liara?" Thane asked, knowing the answer.

"Yeah, she's starting to become sort of a gossip." She smiled, taking away the worry and dread that had once plagued him. "I'd love to." She took his hand. "Now I believe you owe me a dinner with my mother and me." Shepard winked. "Coming?"

Thane smiled back. "Always."


	4. Jacob & Kasumi

A/N: This is a series of one-shots set post-ME2 but before ME3. Just some fluff with Shepard and one of his/her romances (and maybe others). Each chapter will have a different Shepard (i.e. different backgrounds and paragon/renegade attitude). I will do female Shepard's with male romances. I'm gonna put an extra emphasis on completing this series since Mass Effect 3 is already out. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Mass Effect owned by BioWare & EA (Electronic Arts) International

**Mass Effect: A Single Moment**

**Jacob & Kasumi**

Shepard rolled the purple liquor around in her glass and stared at the wall behind the bar lined with exotic, alien alcohol. The room bordered on quiet except for the hum of the ship as it slid through space in a mass relay jump. Kasumi Goto, nestled on the couch, watched the commander with only a confident smile showing through her hood. With her fingers interlocked around her knee, she waited for her answer.

"I knew you were a bold one, Kasumi." Shepard emptied her glass in a single gulp. "But this…wow."

"Oh, c'mon Shep, I'm not asking for much. Just a taste."

"Like you'd stop at just a taste." Shepard chuckled and turned around, leaning against the bar. "I know you Kasumi. You don't sample, you take."

"And I know you, Shep." Kasumi said in all seriousness. "You're not one to cross. I may be the best thief in the galaxy, but I don't make enemies of women like you. Besides you said it yourself, we'll be all going our separate ways soon. Think of it like a going away present."

"Hell of a present." Shepard refilled her glass with the asari brandy. "What's in it for me?"

Kasumi's smile widened a bit. "Good, you're looking for a price, now we begin negotiating."

* * *

"A hundred and twenty two." Jacob huffed. "A hundred and twenty three."

Jacob Taylor counted off his crunches in the empty Armory Room. Normally he would have music blaring from the speakers, something with a repetitive beat and heavy bass lines. Something to time himself and get his blood pumping. But not today, he had some things he wanted to think about, specifically someone.

Jacob was no stranger to the unordinary. He was a member of the Alliance Corsairs once and had his fair share of dubious jobs and his work with Cerberus was far from what the Alliance would call 'routine'. But the woman he saw brought back from the dead, she was in a different league.

Shepard was as hard as any soldier he had ever come across with a history to match. She grew up on the streets and ran with the Tenth Street Reds, a street gang with a very violent reputation. For a girl to not only be apart of the gang, not a piece of tail for the members, but as its top enforcer was not only bewildering, it was almost unbelievable. And what she did on Torfan. Bloody and brutal, yet victorious. Shepard was not just a woman, she was a living legend.

And he was dating her.

After his relationship with Miranda fizzled, he decided it was time to take time off, focus on business, on Cerberus. And then Shepard came into his life. He thought himself not worthy of her affections. Hell he never even thought about being together with her. But she made him think about.

The reason it did not work with Miranda was that he could never tell what was a lie and what was the truth, or at least if she considered him someone she could tell the truth to or just another pawn. He knew he was not being fair about her, but the guessing games and half-truths finally got to him.

Shepard was not like that. When she wanted you to know something, she made sure you knew it. No guessing games, no subtle innuendos, just straight up in-your-face truth. It was refreshing, albeit a bit daunting as well.

"Three hundred." He slumped to the floor, getting his breathing under control. Once that was back in pace he got to his feet and grabbed the towel on the table.

"Still keeping that body of yours to chiseled perfection, Jacob?" The dark haired vanguard smiled. He could never get over the fact that the slim woman in front of him was the same woman who wielded a shotgun whose recoil alone would break a normal man's arm, biotically tackles Geth Destroyers, and head-butted a full-grown krogan to shut him up.

"Like I said, the Alliance didn't invest so much time in me to so I would sit around and get fat. Besides I need to keep in top shape to keep up with you, girl." He wiped the sweat off his brow with the towel.

"I know." She sauntered into the room. She passed the tables that held the some of the guns she had found during their mission to find and stop the collectors. "I'm thinking about throwing a little party for everyone. One last hoorah, ya know?"

"You mean before you have to see the Alliance?" Jacob splashed his mouth with some nutrient-fortified water from his bottle. "It's not right. You buy the galaxy precious time and they want to nail you to the wall for it."

"Pass the buck isn't something new to the Alliance." Shepard planted her butt on Jacob's work table and viewed the passing stars out the port window. Jacob's M-22 Eviscerator and Shepard's M-300 Claymore were in pieces on the table as Jacob planned on working on routine maintenance for the guns after his morning workout. "I can take the hit, but it'd be best if I went there alone. I doubt High Command will be so lenient on you and the others."

Jacob sat next to Shepard. It was odd talking to a superior officer who wore civvy clothes while on duty, but he was currently shirtless himself so it seemed more natural, he supposed.

"I just hope what we did will matter to the Alliance and the Council." Jacob said in a hushed tone. "I'd hate for everything we did get pushed aside by backroom politics so the Reapers could come in and steamroll us."

"They'll listen." Shepard firmly replied. "Even if I have to smash it into every councilmen's' head."

Jacob smiled, though he still felt like persuading the Alliance military board and the Citadel Council would be an uphill battle. Nothing else was said for a moment as the two Cerberus agents watched the star go by.

"So." Jacob started. "About us."

"No." Shepard said with disturbing quietness. "Not now."

"Ok." Jacob knew when to drop a subject. "So where is this party? Citadel?"

"Nah. With C-Sec the way it is, they'll bust any party worth throwing. And Omega's out too." Shepard scratched the side of her nose with a nail. "We could really cut lose there, but the last thing I need is for my engineering crew to get swindled into slavery by playing poker with some Blue Suns goons or Tali to get a fatal infection by having unsafe sex with a turian male prostitute." Jacob laughed and shook his head as Shepard continued. "Besides, Aria is Queen Bee there and I don't get along with Queen Bees, know what I mean?"

Jacob nodded, still smiling. "Alright, so where're we having this blowout?"

"Illium, my good man." Shepard sported a sinister grin. "A place where everything's good and legal but the buildings don't look like they were glued together with shit from a krogan after drinking a liquefied turian."

"You always manage to put the loveliest images in my head."

"Well let me put some better ones in there for you to think about." She leaned into him and put an arm around his shoulder like they were old friends. "A club where the drinks keep coming and the beat goes all night long. Add in some asari-brand entertainment, and we got ourselves one hell of a night."

"When you say 'asari-brand' are you talking about strippers or hookers?"

Shepard shrugged. "Who says it has to be one or the other?"

Say what you wanted about Shepard and her methods, she looked after her own. He could not think of a captain in the Alliance that would arrange for their crew to get laid. A few years ago he would have questioned her ethics, but after a frustrating term in the Corsairs and time in Cerberus, he began to see the up side of operating without red tape and the rule book being thrown in his face.

"We'll be hitting Tasale system in a few hours and I have some things to discuss with Liara." She pushed herself off the table.

"You're scientist friend that became the galaxy's biggest eavesdropper? You two going to go over Reaper information?"

"Nope, about the party." She winked. "Who do you think set it all up?" She began walking backward to the door. "Speaking of which, you are coming for dinner, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." Jacob smiled.

* * *

Jacob hated that all he had to wear was his Cerberus uniform. Not that he would show up to Shepard's quarters with a tux and cummerbund with a corsage, but something less…work related. Although with Shepard, she would probably appreciate something like tight pants and a muscle shirt.

He rapped on the metal door. Shepard said he could walk in anytime he wanted, but he still knocked. The door opened soundlessly. The lights had been turned down and the music was soft rather than her usual selection of heavy and loud.

"Hey, baby." Shepard called from the dark. "C'mon in."

The doors shut behind him. Shepard stood beside a white cloaked table with two blinking candles. She had on the black formal wear that Kasumi gave her, a simple black number that definitely fit her, something that put a smile on his face.

"Always wondered when I'd be able to see you in that. Kasumi told me that it suited you-" A shimmer caught his eye, small beads of light that wisped through the dark corners of Shepard's room. Instinct kicked in as he reached for his gun that he did not have. Shepard took Jacob by the arm gently.

"Now, now, Jacob, you can turn off your bad-ass killer mode." Shepard smoothly said. "Alright, c'mon out before he hit's you with a biotic pull."

The shimmering bloomed into a bright kaleidoscope of miniature stars flaring up at once. Someone was deactivating their Tactical Cloak. Kasumi.

"Damn it, woman, don't tell me you're a voyeur…too."

Jacob lost his breath. Kasumi wore something that was part lingerie, part skimpy kimono with a big, lacy, crimson bow on the back and, somehow, a hood that covered most of her face.

"Very nice." Shepard took Jacob's arm. "A bit…flashy, but nice."

"Thanks, Shep." Kasumi ran her hands over her form. "Tailor made silk from Thessia."

"What is this?" Jacob asked angrily.

"What does it look like, Jacob?" Kasumi voice was pure sex.

Jacob did not answer, instead he frowned. He cast his eyes to Shepard whose face had a look of sympathy. "I know what you're thinking Jacob and you can stop it. Your father _made_ those women serve him. We _want_ to do this." She drew him into a kiss, one that took him out of the moment and into another with just him and her. When he opened his eyes again, unable to remember when he closed them, her hand stroked his chin. "Got it?"

Jacob's eyes lingered on Shepard's face. The softness of her features always took him off guard considering the woman had a kill count that most likely neared the quadruple digits. But he had to get over the fawning and make a choice.

* * *

He leaned into Shepard for another kiss as his arm wrapped around Kasumi's waist and yanked her into the couple. The master thief let out a gleeful squeak. Funding Shepard's party would take up a good chunk of some of her reserve money, but it was worth it.


	5. Samara

A/N: This is a series of one-shots set post-ME2 but before ME3 and the ME2 add-on The Arrival. Just some fluff with Shepard and one of his/her romances. Each chapter will have a different Shepard (i.e. different backgrounds and paragon/renegade attitude). I will do female Shepard's with male romances. I'm gonna put an extra emphasis on completing this series since Mass Effect 3 is close to releasing. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Mass Effect owned by BioWare & EA (Electronic Arts) International

**Mass Effect: A Single Moment**

**Samara**

_He's late. He's never late_

Samara, Justicar of the asari, Matriarch, sat in the _Normandy's _observation bay, trying to focus. Trying to stay calm. Trying to make the hurt go away.

It hurt so much sometimes. Before Shepard, there was no pain, just the code. And her personal crusade. Her daughter. The Ardat Yakshi. Morinth. Dead. Now there was no crusade. No grand objective. Nothing to replace the new emptiness but pain. Nothingness.

Loneliness.

Live long enough to become a Matriarch and you find ways to deal with the feelings. You also come across new feelings, new experiences, and new loves.

He was interested.

He approached. In human society, the male usually is the instigator in mating rituals. Asari are far more flexible, but humans were varied and rigorous in such things. In fact, human courtship could not be narrowed down to a conclusive definition, according to several asari sociologists. When humanity was discovered, and after the Citadel Council managed to pull the turians away from them, many asari flocked to Earth, eager to crack open the new mysteries it and its inhabitants held. And for the first time in a long time, the asari found themselves in over their heads. It was said that no species was as varied and confusing as humans. So many different cultures and sub-cultures. It took the asari ten years just to get the basic categories done. The humans had broken themselves up on some of the most fundamental levels. Religion, politics, even their skin color. Whites and blacks and everything in between, it was ridiculous. On Thessia asari were asari whether their skin was blue or purple or what else.

But that was beside the point. She rejected him. Her code did not forbid it but…she could not bear it. Another love. Another life. Something she could not bring herself to take.

She could deal with it, handle the frustrations. Until she saw her.

Liara T'Soni. An asari. A _younger _asari. Barely over a hundred. Barely considered an adult. It was like the Goddess enjoyed her sense of irony. At first glance, she thought that the commander had an asari fetish. Not that it was something new to aliens. But she discovered their history, fighting side by side against geth, krogan, rachni, and even Saren himself.

And pain. The asari that became the Shadow Broker, she lost her mother. To Saren. To Sovereign.

And Shepard lost so much too, when the batarians came to the human colony on Mindoir. Batarian slavers were always a brutal people. And again on Akuze. How he did not break by then was perplexing. She found it admirable for someone, anyone, to keep going after all that. She also could not help but pity him, to shoulder that much burden.

Loss. Yes they shared that too. And herself. So much sacrificed just to take one more thing…no, to take one daughter away.

It was hard not to find someone on the _Normandy_ who did not experience the sting of losing someone close. But it could bind those together strongly.

And that's what changed. She was alone for so long. Always moving, never looking back. Shedding nearly a millennia of memories, possessions, and family for a higher purpose. And he came, and turned it all upside down.

She was no longer alone and she had a very…difficult time adjusting to it.

The doors clicked and slid open as Shepard strolled in. Ever since his excursion with Kasumi he had become accustomed to wearing the evening wear 'gift' instead of his Cerberus uniform. A welcomed change.

"Samara." He said with a relaxed swagger. "Still up?"

It was true that it was considered 'night time' onboard, although on a vessel sailing through the infinite black, night and day were but words.

"I am aware of the time." She said with her trained politeness. "And I am used to spending long nights awake."

He sat next to her, relaxed, like he hadn't a care in the world. The way he smiled. He had just been with her. Liara. He had invited her aboard after they dealt with the yargh. It was supposed to be a quick tour of the ship and reminiscing. Much reminiscing from the looks of it.

"Doing what? Meditating? Isn't that a fancy way of sleeping?"

Jokes. His shield against the world. Not surprising, considering what he had been through.

"Mediating is a way to collect one's thoughts. Center her mind and soul." She kept her eyes forward. She could not look him in his eyes. "Perhaps you should try it sometime."

That was not how she wanted it to come out. She was having a harder time keeping the fire quenched.

"I like to think I'm in a good place." Shepard's smile held only a bare amount of his usual jovialness. "Even with everything going on."

"You are troubled?" The calm focus of her mission came back.

"This whole thing with the Reapers is…trying." He leaned forward, looking out into the stars with her. "Beating the Collectors was one thing. But taking down an armada of living Dreadnaught-sized starships?" He almost shivered. He never shivered. Not since they met.

"Did Liara tell you something about the Reapers?"

"She…put everything in perspective." He pursed his lips. "Getting the galaxy together to fight them seems far more difficult than I thought. Even with Liara's resources, it's going to be an uphill battle."

"You knew this from the beginning. Why does it bother you now?"

"I never really had to think of it until now. First Saren. Then the Collectors. Always the here and now to take your mind off the distant and later."

Samara could only nod.

"But all of that won't mean shit if I get slapped in irons and sent to the brig for what happened with the batarians."

A moment passed before she spoke. "You made the correct choice."

"I made the only choice." He whispered back.

"You warned the batarian colony." _Even after all they did to you. _ "You did everything you could."

"And they want my head for it." He chuckled lightly.

"We do not do our duty for glory or gratitude."

"I know." He said grimly.

Silence followed. The unbearable silence. She noticed his body language. He was not telling her something.

"I got the call." He finally said. "I have to go back to Earth."

"Now?"

"Yeah." Shepard sounded defeated. "We'll be stopping at the Citadel so everyone can-"

"Abandon you?" She finished.

That was a mistake. Interrupting him was not her way.

"None of you were there. This is my burden." He sounded distant, like he wasn't even talking to her anymore.

There was so much she wanted to say that she could not start. Yet nothing came to her that could trump his statement.

"This…might be goodbye for a while." Shepard said carefully. "I figured might as well get it done with now so there won't be any teary good byes and whatever. Garrus was always a sob-er."

His joke failed to amuse him, despite his smile.

"You act as though this is the end, even though you know it is not."

"This is the end. The end of renegade Shepard and his crew of misfits." He tried to laugh. "But what comes after…hell they might not do anything until the damn robo-squids land right on top of them and then…."

He fell onto his back. The tension was gone, replaced with hopelessness. Then it came to her, his demeanor, his tying up loose ends after the incident, and his decision for a quick departure for everyone.

He had ended his relationship with Liara.

To some it was a stretch to put it together but for her…the look he had in his eyes was the same she saw in the mirror just before she decided to take the pledge. Became a Justicar.

And leave everything she knew behind.

She was on him, suddenly, her palms on his chest. In what seemed like a flash of biotics. She knew what it was like to suddenly have nothing but one thing. She had centuries of experience, he had but a few decades. It would be neigh impossible for him to withstand the anguish…without comfort.

She had never mated with a male or even an alien. Her act caught him by surprise, along with herself. The whats and the whys did not even come to her mind. Clothing seemed to move itself around and she saw the human male…appendage for the first time.

The info-vids on humanity gave her enough knowledge on what to do. She lowered herself upon him. The feeling was…different. Very different. Mating with her asari mate involved a melding of minds and more. Less physical and more emotional if she had to describe it in the most bare-bones way. Like this, with a male, it was…was it supposed to hurt like this? How did human female put up with…?

She gasped when he went all the way in. Now she knew why. Shepard's hands slid up her legs and grasped the top of her hips.

When it was over, she collapsed on him. Their hearts racing erratically. Breathing labored. She pondered as she found a comfortable place to rest her head on his shoulder.

He survived, endured. That's what he did. Whatever would happen, they would find each other and after that…perhaps. The future is not set in stone.


End file.
